Richard Herring

Words: Alex Lawson

Friday, 17 August 2007

Underbelly

“He wasn’t this popular at college?” moans a bald fellow squashed next to me in the queue.

Oh go on, I think, feed his ego. “When was that I ask?” and, after an interesting conversation with the bald one and his friend, a former chum of of Herring during his time at Oxford, they persuade me to watch Herring from the front row.

“What are you expecting?” one goads, on discovering I’m a Herring-fan. Ten out of ten I offer optimistically.

Herring bounces on to the stage with the roly-poly vigour he’s always shown. Ironic then that his show, Oh Fuck, I’m 40, revolves around the central theme of ageing and his futile existence.

Gazing out upon his sell-out audience (though he points out 180 people per night isn’t amazing when he’s been appearing for over a decade), Richard bounces about in the same way as he’s always done – crazily.

His most hilarious moment is when, in a long study of t-shirt slogans, he explores the possibilities of the slogan ‘Give Me Head, Until I’m Dead’, the ten minute continued chat about the constant, lifelong fellatio Richard would have to bestow on the man.

This left everyone gasping for air in hilarity, something which increased to near asphyxiation when the portly Herring attempts to jump on a skateboard.

Jumping from foot-to-foot, Richard angles to wrap up his set (which is admittedly very-much pre-planned material) describing his first ever fight – in Liverpool as well, of all places!

At this point, in comparing some nerd and a slightly cooler nerd, Herring turns to me and says it’s like this guy (moi) – “he’s diarrhoea compared to that bloke (a - in my opinion -much nerdier looking guy) who’s a nicely formed turd.” Cheers Rich.

So as he scootss off at the end of his show on his skateboard, baldini alumni fellow turn to me. “Ten out ten?” he asks. “9.5 mate. He called me a ‘streaky turd’.”

Two-word verdict: roly-poly rollicks

Richard Herring’s show Oh Fuck, I’m 40

Underbelly

5-27th (not 19,20,22,23,25)

http://www.curiofestival.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=215&Itemid=83